EPICUR Continues to Grow
Studying at 11 European universities at the same time? It sounds unbelievable, but EPICUR makes it possible. Funded by the European Union since 2019, the alliance enables students to study across borders – including online. KIT will once again be part of the third funding phase, which begins on November 1, 2026, with €7.2 million in funding. In this interview, Thomas Hirth, Vice-President for International Affairs and Transfer, explains the benefits.
Eleven universities from nine countries are participating in the new EPICUR funding phase. Is EPICUR becoming the new Erasmus+?
Thomas Hirth: I wouldn't say that. To me, it is more of a valuable complement to Erasmus+. While Erasmus+ is a framework program, it ultimately focuses on individual mobility: A student goes abroad and chooses courses for one or two semesters. EPICUR is much more comprehensive and structured.
In what way?
There is a joint course catalog, including blended learning programs that students can attend online from Karlsruhe. This gives students access to complementary academic opportunities. For example, they can take robotics courses at the University of Odense in Denmark while simultaneously attending online lectures in the humanities and social sciences at the University of Thessaloniki. Ultimately, it also makes it easier for students to have their courses recognized. These are fantastic international opportunities with, in my opinion, a manageable amount of effort!
How does KIT benefit from EPICUR?
From an institutional perspective, we are, of course, strengthening our cooperation with our partner universities. Thanks to seed funding opportunities, we can develop larger initiatives and projects. In the long term, we aim to offer joint EPICUR degree programs leading to a European degree.
In the shorter term, the new EPICUR funding period, running from late 2026 to late 2028, has brought us attractive new partner institutions. Pablo de Olavide University in Seville, Roma Tre University in Rome, and the University of Basel as an associated partner are joining the alliance. Rome, for example, has particular strengths in medicine, which complement our focus on medical engineering very well. These cities are also excellent places to study. The new partners will help us further strengthen and broaden EPICUR.
And conversely, what does KIT contribute to the EPICUR alliance?
We are one of the few technical universities in the alliance. Our extensive expertise in engineering, natural sciences, and computer science is therefore certainly a valuable contribution to all the other partners.
Is there a particular topic or goal that is especially important to you personally in the new funding period?
It is now important to integrate the new partners and continue developing a governance structure for a European university. We also need to make even better use of the funding we receive from the European Union to foster closer cooperation between teaching and research.
Further Information
For more information on the new funding phase and the expansion of the EPICUR alliance, please read the article “EPICUR Continues to Grow and Receives Millions in EU Funding” on the KIT website.
